Goddesses of Gourmet

Nectarine-Plum Crostata

2011-09-17T08:17:00.000-07:00

It's fall...officially as the temp outside is in the 50's today! So, it's the perfect time to introduce my newest find: The Crostata. It's like a pie but more rustic and easy. It comes from a Betty Crocker Fall Baking Magazine and was a good way to use up some free plums I scored at school.

Nectarine-Plum Crostata
Crust:
1 1/2 c. flour
1 t. sugar
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. cold butter, cut into pieces (margarine works fine too)
1 egg yolk
4-5 T. cold water
Mix flour, sugar, & salt. Cut in butter (2 knives or pastry blender) until crumbly. Stir in egg and sprinkle with water, 1 T. at a time until a ball forms. Flatten to 1/2 inch thick, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 and grease/spray pan (either cookie sheet or large pie pan). On floured surface, roll out dough to 13 inch round, about 1/4 inch thick. Place in pan.
Filling:
1/2 c. sugar
3 T. flour
1/4 t. cinnamon
3 c. sliced nectarines
3 c. sliced plums
1 T. lemon juice
2 T. butter (or margarine)
1 T. sugar
Mix sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add fruit and toss to coat. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Spoon into center of dough, spreading 3 inches from edge. Dot with butter. Fold edge up around fruit, folding as needed. Brush edge of pastry with water and sprinkle top with 1 T. sugar.
Bake 30-40 minutes or until crust in golden and fruit is tender (nice and BUBBLY :). Cool about 1 hour.
This is really good with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and I like it HOT! This is what happens when you grow up with a mom who bakes...

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

2010-12-31T10:09:00.000-08:00

I tend to have an obsession with quick breads & fall and winter are always the time to try new recipes. So, after a few experiments & modifications, here's a fabulous Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread recipe:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

3 c. pumpkin puree

4 eggs

1/2 c. oil

2/3 c. water (1/3 c. if using fresh pumpkin)

3 1/2 c. flour

2 t. baking soda

1 1/2 t. salt

2 t. cinnamon

1 1/2 t. nutmeg

3/4 t. ground cloves

1/2 t. ground ginger

1 1/2-2 c. mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour 2 loaf pans (or prepare and line 7 mini loaf pans). Combine pumpkin, eggs, oil, water, and sugar in a large bowl until well blended. In separate bowl, mix together all dry ingredients and slowly mix them into wet ingredients until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour batter evenly into loaf pans and bake (1 hour for larger loaves, about 30 minutes or until top is firm for mini loaves). Let cool in pans for at least 10 minutes.

Only the Best Sugar Cookies Ever!

2010-12-21T17:00:00.001-08:00

Somehow I never posted these, even though Misty and I have been making them forever and pretty much wanna roll in them. Seriously, that's how good they are, and strangely they just get better the longer you have them. Anyway, here's the best, most buttery-soft sugar cookies ever! (And before you ask, NO, it's not a typo that there is twice as much butter as sugar :)

Sugar Cookies

2 c. soft margarine

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

4 c. flour

2 t. baking powder

Oven 350 degrees. Cream margarine and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder and stir into creamed mixture. Chill thoroughly. Roll out and cut as usual (keeping portion of dough you are not using in refrigerator or freezer). Bake on ungreased cookie pan about 10 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Almond Buttercream (Wilton Recipe)

1/2 c. shortening

1/2 c. butter or margarine

1/2 t. almond extract (or 1 t. vanilla for regular recipe)

4 c. sifted powdered sugar

2 T. milk

Cream butter and shortening. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, mixing on medium until blended. Add milk as needed to reach spreading consistency, whipping until light and fluffy.

Mimi's Cafe Buttermilk Spice Muffins

2010-10-03T09:46:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite things is the Buttermilk Spice Muffins at Mimi's Cafe. You can find the recipe here along with some other great recipes. I am also anxious to try the Spinach and Artichoke dip and the Corn Chowder! I attempted the Buttermilk Spice Muffins and they turned out great!

Serves: 12

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 to 25 minutes

Muffin Batter:
1 cup Sugar
½ cup Butter or margarine
3 Eggs
2-½ cups Flour
2 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Nutmeg
½ tsp. Cinnamon
¾ cup + 1 tbsp. Buttermilk

Nut Topping:
½ cup Sugar
1 cup Walnuts (finely chopped)
½ tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. Nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375°. In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and the butter together with an electric mixer. When they are thoroughly mixed, add eggs and beat one more minute.
Sift the flour into a separate bowl, together with the baking soda, nutmeg and the cinnamon.
Add the flour and the buttermilk to the first mixture, mix at low speed until smooth. To avoid lumps in the batter, add the wet and dry ingredients alternately, in small amounts.
Make the nut topping: Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.
Grease muffin tins with butter or margarine. You can also use paper baking cups. Fill each cup 3/4 full of batter. Add a full, rounded tablespoon of nut topping on top of each muffin cup of batter. Bake immediately or the topping will sink to the bottom of the muffin.
Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin should come out dry. Home ovens heat differently from commercial ovens so you may need to adjust the temperature or the baking time accordingly.
Recipe yields 12 standard-size muffins, or six Mimi's-size muffins. If using the jumbo muffin pans, reduce the oven temperature by 25° and increase the baking time 5-10 minutes.

Fruit Filled Bars

2010-07-21T17:36:00.000-07:00

I have loved jam-filled bar cookies since I was a little girl and made the recipe out of "Make a Treat with Wheat." Doesn't that title make you wanna crack it open and get all that fiber flowing in your veins? Anyway, this is the Weight Watchers version, not as rich and buttery, but certainly tasty. (3 points each)

Easy Fruit Filled Bars

1 c. whole wheat pastry flour (I used 1/2 c. regular whole wheat, and 1/2 c. all purpose flour)

3/4 c. quick oats

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. pecans, chopped (I left these out, and it was fine)

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1 egg white

2 T. canola oil

1 T. fat-free milk

1 (10 oz.) jar fruit spread (I used apricot pineapple, but you can use your favorite jam)

Preheat oven to 350 and grease/spray 9x9" pan.

Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, nuts, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. In small bowl, whip together egg white, oil and milk. Add egg mixture to flour, stirring until well blended. With fingers, blend until it forms moist crumbs. Reserve 1 c. of crumbs, firmly press remaining crumbs into prepared pan.

Bake until set and lightly browned on edges, about 10 minutes.

If needed, place fruit spread in small microwave-safe bowl, and warm slightly until easily spreadable. Spread jam evenly over warm crust and top with reserved crumbs. Bake until jam is bubbly at the edges and top is lightly browned, 15-20 minutes. Let bars cool completely before cutting. Makes 16 bars.

Avocado & Chicken Salad

2010-07-18T11:15:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite summer lunches. I don't have an exact recipe.

Avocado & Chicken Salad

1 Avocado

1 can of Chicken Breast

Mayo

chopped Celery

Curry Powder

Pepper

Chicken Salad:

Put 1 can of Chicken Breast in a bowl. Mix in a (2-3) of spoons full of Mayo. Mix in Curry Powder to taste. Add chopped Celery to mixture.

Place cut up Avocado on a plate. Top with Chicken Salad mixture. Add pepper to taste.

Cheese Tortellini Salad

2010-06-06T00:18:00.001-07:00

Cheese Tortellini Salad

Cheese Tortellini (I used the double pack from Costco)

Bernsteins Italian dressing

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Julienne sliced Sun Dried Tomatoes

Fresh Basil

Crushed Red Pepper

Parmesan Cheese

Cook the Tortellini per instructions on the package. Strain it. Once the Tortellini is room temperature add Bernsteins Italian dressing (I used the whole bottle for my double pack of Tortellini), a little Olive Oil (helps keep the pasta from sticking to each other), Salt & Pepper, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Fresh Basil, a little crushed Red Pepper, and some Parmesan Cheese. Refrigerate until ready to be served.

* I do not have exact measurements. Just put in how much you want and what looks good. It is really simple and great for summer BBQs!

Enjoy!!!

~Amy

Garden Lasagna

2010-05-25T10:35:00.000-07:00

I am proud to say that with my husband's help I made my first lasagna! I think I haven't made it in the past because it has too many steps, and also because I need more roughage in mine! Sorry I don't have a picture.

1 pkg lasagna noodles
1 lg carton ricotta cheese
2 eggs
Italian seasoning
1 lg zuchinni, chopped
1 lg squash, chopped
1/2 bag shredded carrots
2 T. minced garlic
1 can sliced olives
fresh spinach
1 onion, chopped
1 pkg regular pork sausage
1 lg can diced tomatoes w/juice
1 reg can tomato sauce
4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
parmesean cheese
garlic powder

*Cook and drain noodles, set aside. Cook sausage & onion until brown. Rinse & drain. Combine with tomatoes & sauce and set aside. Sautee vegetables and garlic in butter. Add spinach and olives for the last minute. Beat eggs & combine with ricotta and seasoning. Layer noodles on bottom of pan. Add cheese mixture, veggies, sauce, and sprinkle lightly with mozz cheese and garlic powder. Repeat layers. Top with another blanket of noodles & sauce. Top w/rest of mozz cheese. Sprinkle w/parmesean and garlic powder. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Mozzarella & Tomato Salad Wrap

2010-05-12T19:25:00.000-07:00

Mozzarella & Tomato Salad Wrap

Ingredients:

Flat Out
Romaine Lettuce
Tomato
Mozzarella
Balsamic Vinegar

*You can buy them at Costco in a 3 pack.

Fill the Flat Out with Romaine Lettuce, chopped tomato, and cut up Mozzarella. Drizzle Balsamic Vinegar over the top and simply make it into a wrap! They are great for lunches!

Enjoy!!!

~Amy

Banana Muffins

2010-05-02T22:14:00.001-07:00

Banana Muffins

1/2 c. Shortening

1 c. Sugar

1 Egg

2 Bananas (mashed well)

1 c. Milk

2 c. Flour

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1/4 tsp. Salt

Bake 15 min @ 375*

*The mini muffins are great for the little ones!

If you are not big on Bananas, try the Brown Sugar Muffins.

Brown Sugar Muffins

1/2 c. Shortening

1 c. Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1 c. Milk

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 c. Flour

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 c. Nuts (optional)

Bake 15 minutes @ 375*

Enjoy!!!

~Amy

Chicken Barbeque Salad

2010-04-20T11:41:00.000-07:00

This is a really big bowl...perfect for tossing!

This has plastic wrap on top so not as bright.

Where are those avocados? It needs the green. :)

Chicken Barbeque Salad

This will feed a large group of people. I had it a couple weeks ago at my little sisters bridal shower. It was so YUMMY! I made it last week and split it in two bowls. One for my family and I took one to a friend who recently had surgery. You can definitely downsize to suit your needs. I put it together (about an hour before) , the bacon and chicken I had cooked previously. I waited to add avocado's at the last minute so they wouldn't turn brown. I forgot to take a picture with them. I knew I would....dang....they made it even prettier (I LOVE avocados). So picture how great it would look with avocado's between chicken and tomatoes.

Whole pkg. romaine lettuce chopped small (about 6 heads in lg. pkg from Costco)

1 can corn, rinsed

2 can black beans, rinsed

6 tomatoes, chopped small pieces

3 avocados, chopped

1 lb. bacon, cooked and broken in small pieces

1/2 head purple cabbage, shredded finely

5 chicken breasts, barbequed, chopped small, then added lots more barbeque sauce, put in tupperware bowl and tossed with bbq sauce. I actually grilled my chicken the night b4. It's served cold.)

1 pkg. Scotia Cheese, finely shredded I could not find this cheese. So I tried fetta.... it was a little strong for me. I think next time I'll just use a finely shredded....whatever is in my fridge. I love cheese, I think it would be good with almost any kind. Even blue cheese crumbles (again a little strong so not too much.

2 cups roasted & salted Sunflower seeds

1/2 large bottle of Ranch Dressing

I put the lettuce in the bottom, then put little piles of each item around edges in a circle, and the cheese in the center and left it for display. Then when time to serve toss it with the Ranch Dressing. We tossed without dressing and added our own so we could keep leftovers in fridge without getting too soggy. I ate it for three days in a row. Never got sick of it! Perfect summer lunch or dinner! Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

2010-02-23T14:58:00.000-08:00

Meatballs

1lb hamburger

2 eggs

1t. worcestershire sauce

1t. salt

1c. oats

1/4c. chopped onions (optional)

1/2c. milk

dash pepper

Combine and form into balls. Place into casserole dish or on cookie sheet with edges. Cover with sauce.

Sauce

3/4c. vinegar

1c. brown sugar

2t. mustard

1c. BBQ sauce

2t. worcestershire sauce

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve over rice.

Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2010-02-21T18:42:00.000-08:00

My friend Sara came over last night, and in an attempt to save some cash in our "going out" allowance, we stayed in, made dinner and watched an inordinate amound of Glee. I got hooked on her chicken recipe, and she got hooked on Glee, so it was good all around! We made this recipe, which from Rachel Rae's 30 minute meals, served it with rice and steamed broccoflower, and it turned out delicious! As usual, I can't just follow a recipe, I have to throw extra things in that I find in the fridge, in this case, we added extra chicken stock and about 1/2 c. whipping cream to make more sauce. Because you can NEVER have too much sauce! Here's the link:

Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Chicken Cord'on Bleu

2010-02-21T13:04:00.000-08:00

This is a little French number that is super easy, but always makes my guests think I'm superwoman. Well, the secret's out now :)

INGREDIENTS:

1 Chicken breast per person (I make one and cut in half for the little people in my house)

Plain yogurt

1 roll ritz crackers, crushed

ham (you can buy canadian bacon round, chunks or even left over ham)

swiss cheese (i buy the pre-sliced so I can just grab a square and stick it in)
toothpicks

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pound the chicken breasts until they are about 1/4" thick. This isn't absolutely necessary, but it makes rolling the chicken a ton easier.

2. Put some ham and swiss cheese on the chicken breast.

3. Roll the breast wide end to narrow as tight as you can.

4. Use the toothpicks to hold it closed. Sometimes you will use 3 or 4 to make this work. Depends on the shape of the chicken.

5. Dip chicken in yogurt, then roll in crushed ritz crackers (Yes, if you are a bread crumb or soda cracker person, I suppose those would be ok, but I use wheat ritz... just better for you:) )

6. Bake on cookie sheet at 350 degrees for an hour. Check it at 45 minutes. Depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts, it sometimes won't take the full hour.

7. You can serve this with lots of different combinations. ie: green beans and twice baked potatoes, or regular potatoes; rice and broccoli; lemon fettucine.... it is very versatile and very good.

OPTIONAL SAUCE: Mix together a can of cream of chicken with a cup or so of sour cream. Heat it up and drizzle over the chicken. Helps for moisture and completes the dish!

Salsa Verde Carnitas & El Torito Dressing

2010-02-14T18:59:00.000-08:00

Salsa Verde Carnitas
(from Simply Recipes)

Ingredients

3 1/2 pounds pork butt (pork shoulder)
2 cups salsa verde, bottled, canned, or homemade
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 Tbsp fresh chopped oregano (or 1 teas dried)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt

12 to 16 corn tortillas, heated and softened
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 cup crumbled Cotija Mexican farmer's cheese, or some grated Monterey Jack cheese
Crema fresca, crema Mexican, or sour cream
Chopped cilantro leaves for garnish

Method

1 Trim the excess fat from the roast. Put the meat in a large casserole or Dutch oven with salsa verde, onion, stock, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and oregano. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meat is very tender when pierced, about 3 hours.

2 Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove meat from liquid in pot and put the meat into a roasting pan. With 2 forks, tear meat into large shreds. Roast meat for 15 to 20 minutes until parts are brown and crispy.

3. While the meat is roasting, skim and discard fat from liquid in the casserole pan. Boil juices, stirring, until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, 8 to 10 minutes.

4 Return the meat to the Dutch oven. Stir in chopped cilantro. Season with salt.

Serves 6.

El Torito Salad Dressing

1 Tbsp Original Ranch Salad Dressing Mix (Dry Mix)
1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 c. Low-Fat Buttermilk
1/2 to 2/3 cup Fresh Cilantro (long stems cut off)
2 Tbsp Roasted & Salted Pepitas
1 1/2 to 2 tbsp Finely Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/3 c. Vegetable Oil
Salt & Pepper

In blender combine all ingredients except oil. Whip or process until well bended or mixture is green. Slowly add oil through top cover of blender jar while motor is running. Process until dressing is smooth. Add Salt & Pepper to taste. If needed, refrigerate until well chilled. Serve as desired over chilled greens sprinkled with extra Pepitas.

El Torito Salad

Romaine Lettuce
Tomatoes
Avocados
Pepitas
Queso Fresco
Tortilla Strips

Gingerbread Men

2010-01-02T20:11:00.000-08:00

We made these for our New Year's Eve party. Yes, they are a BIG mess, but they are also a lot of fun for big AND little people. (I decorated two :)

Gingerbread Cookies

1 c. shortening

1 c. sugar

1 egg

2 c. molasses

2 T. vinegar

6-8 c. flour (until you reach desired stiffness)

1 t. salt

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

2 T. ginger

1/4 t. nutmeg

3 t. soda

1 c. boiling water

Cream fats and sugar. Beat in egg. Add molasses and vinegar and mix. Sift together flour and spices. Dissolve soda in water and add alternately with flour to sugar mixture. Dough should be soft but rollable. Chill throughly.

Preheat oven to 350. Roll out dough to desired thickness and cut with cookie cutters. Bake on greased sheet for 8-10 minutes. Cool thoroughly and ice with buttercream frosting (almond flavor is nice with these :) Decorate with whatever candies you like (we used mini marshmallows, Twizzler's Pull and Peel, M&Ms, sprinkles).

Christmas Cracker Dip

2009-12-13T11:21:00.001-08:00

I got this recipe from The Friend a couple years ago. It is yummy!

1 8-oz bar cream cheese, softened
1/3 c. sour cream
1 t. green olive juice
1/4 c. sliced green olives w/pimentos
1/4 c. chopped green peppers
1/4 c. chopped red peppers

*Beat cream cheese & sour cream until smooth. Beat in olive juice. Chop olives/peppers and stir in. Serve with Triscuts or Wheat Thins. Also good with celery sticks!

Potato Soup

2009-12-08T19:53:00.001-08:00

This is one of my favorites!

Potato Soup

½ lb Bacon
½ C. Chopped Onion
1½ C. Celery (chopped)
1½ C. Carrots (diced)
5 or 6 Potatos (diced)
Season to taste with Salt & Pepper, Onion Salt, and Celery Salt.
¾ C. Milk

Cut Bacon about ½ inch thick across slices and fry in large skillet. Drain grease, leaving about 2 tbsp. Put in onions and celery sauté until soft. Put this mixture into a large pot, add carrots, potatoes and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for a few hours until potatoes and carrots are cooked. Use masher to break up potatoes and add ¾ C. of milk.

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

2009-12-08T08:32:00.000-08:00

Perfect for this time of year, and sooooo yummy.

2 pkg active dry yeast (or 2 1/2 t.)
1/4 c. warm water
1/2 c. evap milk
1/3 c. molasses
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 T. oil
1/2 t. salt
4 c. flour
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 T. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger
dash nutmeg
2 T. butter, softened
white frosting
sugared cranberries

*Dissolve yeast in warm water and let stand for 5 min. Pour into mixer and add the following: milk, molasses, brown sugar, egg, oil, & salt. Whisk ingredients until combined & add flour. Turn onto floured surface & knead for five minutes. Cover & let rise until double. Combine sugars and spices for filling. Punch down dough and turn onto floured surface again. Let stand 10 minutes. Roll out into rectangle. spread softened butter on dough and sprinkle with filling mixture. Roll out and cut into 12 rolls - place them in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Let rise until double. Bake @ 350 for 25 minutes. While hot, frost with white frosting. For sugared cranberries, roll frozen cranberries in sugar.

Taco Soup

2009-12-03T15:11:00.000-08:00

Taco Soup

4 cans of Beans (kidney, black, pinto, etc.)
1 can Tomato Soup
1 can Tomato Sauce
1 big can Chopped Peeled Tomatoes
1 packet Taco Seasoning
1 can Corn
1 1/2 lb Hamburger browned (I like to cook with onions)

Do not drain!
Mix everything together.
Add browned Hamburger.
Cook until done.

Toppings:
Cheese
Tortilla strips
Olives

Coffee Cake

2009-12-03T14:54:00.000-08:00

This is a family favorite!

Coffee Cake

1st Mixture:
2 1/2 c. Flour
1 c. Brown Sugar
3/4 c. White Sugar
1 tbsp. Nutmeg
1 tbsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Salt
3/4 c. Oil
Mix together. Then remove 3/4 c. and set aside for the topping.

2nd Mixture:
1 Egg
1 c. Milk
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 c. Vinegar
1 tsp. Baking Powder
Add to the 1st Mixture and stir until blended.

Grease 9x13 pan. Pour mixture into pan. Then sprinkle topping across the top.
Bake @ 350* for 30 - 35 minutes.

Great for Breakfast!!!

Turkey

2009-12-01T10:16:00.000-08:00

This isn't a recipe, just a picture of our awesome Turkey. I have to brag on my husband just a little - he did it all by himself - even cleaning out the guts and putting the stuffing in. Thanks, baby!

Creamy Pumpkin Pie w/Cranberry Topping

2009-12-01T09:44:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from Family Fun Magazine. The only change I made was just doing cranberry sauce from scratch for the topping - which isn't hard at all. It's just 1 bag of fresh or frozen cranberries to 1 c. water and 1 c. sugar. The recipe is on the Oceanspray bag! It really is sooooo delicious. Make sure to top w/Cool Whip. Here is the link:

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/holiday-seasonal-recipes/fall-recipes/pumpkin-recipes/creamy-pumpkin-pie-with-cranberry-topping-688392/

Red Beans and Rice

2009-11-22T14:40:00.000-08:00

1 lb dry beans (small red, kidney, or pinto)
sliced sausage (I use the chicken apple or kielbasa) or chopped ham
1 onion, chopped
2 T. garlic
3 stalks celery, chopped
fresh or dried parsley
3 bay leaves
salt & pepper
garlic/onion powder
celery salt
2 t. ground cumin
steamed white rice

*Combine 8 c. water and dry beans in large pot - boil until beans start to break apart. Dump into crockpot and add all other ingredients except rice. Cook on high six hours & serve over steamed rice. Freezes well!

Chocolate Crinkles

2009-11-22T14:33:00.000-08:00

I just made these yesterday, and they are pretty yummy! The only thing I would add is maybe some toffee chips or rice cereal for crunch. Here is the link:

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/chocolate-crinkles-678857/

Snickerdoodle Muffins

2009-11-22T14:22:00.000-08:00

MUFFINS:

2 c. flour
2/3 c. sugar
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 large egg
1 c. + 2 T. milk
6 T. butter, melted and cooled
1 t. vanilla

TOPPING:

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
3 T. melted butter

*Heat oven to 375. Melt 6 T. butter and set aside. Spray bottoms only of 12 standard muffin cups w/baking spray. Measure flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, & nutmeg into a large mixing bowl and whisk until combined. In a separate bowl whisk the egg until frothy. Add milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Make a well in the dry mixture and add the liquid mixture. Mix batter just until blended with a wooden spoon. Spoon mixture into muffin cups until 2/3 full. Bake muffins for 15 minutes, then rotate and bake 5 minutes more. Cool pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes and then remove from cups. Mix cinnamon and sugar. Dip muffin tops in butter and then in cinnamon sugar.

4B's Cream of Tomato Soup

2009-11-21T15:23:00.001-08:00

32 ounces of diced tomatoes
9 ounces of chicken broth
1 ounce of butter
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon chopped onion
A pinch of baking soda
2 cups of cream

Mix everything except cream. Simmer one hour.

Heat cream in double boiler (or warm in microwave) careful not to scorch. Add cream to hot tomato mixture.

Pickled Macaroni Salad

2009-11-07T21:41:00.001-08:00

1 box Ditalini pasta, cooked and drained
diced onion
diced pickles
diced celery
thick-sliced olives
cubed cheddar cheese

(DRESSING:)
Miracle Whip
mustard
garlic salt
salt/pepper
pickle juice
paprika

*Combine Miracle Whip, mustard, & spices (amounts are to taste). Thin dressing with pickle juice. Pour 2/3 of the dressing over salad & toss. Reserve 1/3 of the dressing to toss in just before eating, to moisten. Sprinkle with paprika.

Japanese Chicken & Cream Cheese Wontons

2009-11-03T10:34:00.001-08:00

I can't really take credit for this recipe; Dionne served it to us recently at her house. But it is so good! Pretty tangy, though. I might recommend reducing the sugar and vinegar by 1/4 - 1/2 c.

Japanese Chicken

3 chicken breasts
2 beaten eggs
1 c. flour
deep fryer or skillet with oil for frying
6 T. soy sauce
1 c. sugar
1 c. vinegar
1 t. garlic powder
3/4 c. liquid (i used the juice from a can of mandarin oranges)
3 T. cornstarch

*cut raw chicken into strips or bite-sized pieces. Coat in egg and then with flour. Drop into hot oil & fry until golden and crispy. Drain on a paper towel. For sauce, combine all ingredients in saucepan except liquid and cornstarch. Whisk cornstarch and cold juice until blended, and slowly whisk into sauce. Heat until boiling and thickened. Place fried chicken into a baking dish and pour sauce over. Bake @ 350 until heated through, about 30 minutes. (You can also keep the chicken and sauce separate and just use the sauce for dipping.) Serve with steamed white rice.

Cream Cheese Wontons

2 bars cream cheese
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 pkg woton wrappers

*Soften cream cheese and then mix in chopped onions. Place about 1/2 T. cream cheese mixture in middle of the wrapper, and follow directions in package for wrapping. Deep fry until golden and crispy. Fantastic dipped in Japanese sauce!

Thanks for the recipe, Di! It rocks.

Chili Relleno Casserole

2009-10-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

7 ounce can whole chilies
7 ounce can diced chilies
1 pound EACH, monteray jack and sharp cheddar cheese
6 eggs
13 oz can evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Lay the split, seedless chilies in 9x13 pan. Alternate cheese and diced chilies until all used. Beat eggs and milk and pour over cheeses. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

Spinach Tortellini Soup

2009-10-21T08:16:00.000-07:00

1-16 oz frozen chopped spinach
1 T. butter
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. onion powder
2 T. flour
1 can evaporated milk or 1 c. half & half
-----------------------------------------
1 T. olive oil
diced ham
diced onion
-----------------------------------------
3 1/2 c. water
1 can chicken broth or 2 c. water & 3 chicken bullion cubes
1 envelope dry vegetable soup mix (1.4 oz)
1 20 oz. pkg refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Parmesean cheese

*Thaw spinach & drain. Melt butter in heavy skillet and add spinach. Cook and stir for a couple minutes, then add salt, onion powder, flour, and milk. Cook for about five minutes, until hot and slightly thickened. Cover and set aside. (You can also buy frozen creamed spinach and just heat it through).

Sautee onion and ham in olive oil & add to creamed spinach. Set aside.

Combine water, chicken broth, & vegetable soup mix. Heat to boiling. Add spinach/ham mixture and tortellini & boil for about five minutes. Stir in shredded cheese until melted. Sprinkle individual servings w/Parmesean cheese.

Apple Pie Carmel Apples

2009-10-20T17:56:00.000-07:00

If you have not been to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory at the Gateway...It's a must! Here's my attempt to copy their FABULOUS apples!

I used gala apples. Kraft carmels, melted. (I may try homeade next time) White chocolate chips melted. Brown sugar with a couple Tbs. white sugar and generous amount of cinnamon. ( I didn't measure, just dumped) Wash and dry apples put sticks in stem end. The carmel package said to add 2 tbs water, i did. Dip apples in carmel, put on greased plate or pan and refrigerate. Just till cool. Then dip in melted chocolate----don't add water to chocolate! Cover with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Enjoy. I like them better cold, but it doesn't matter!

Vegetable Beef Pie

2009-10-20T17:37:00.001-07:00

I am a little embarrased to put this on here. This is no where near gourmet. It's a tuesday night dinner, it's easy and they eat it....what can i say?! If nothing else you get my easy, yummy pie crust recipe. You can use a frozen pie crust if you'd like. this recipe is way simple though.

CRUST

1 c. butter flavored shortning

2 c. flour

1 t. salt

1/2 c. hot water

*mix together, roll out on floured surface.

FILLING

1 lb hamburger browned

1 family size can campbell's vegetable beef soup. (I like the vegetarian version with no meat and ABC noodles)

grated cheese

Line pie pan with bottom crust. Mix hamburger and soup, fill pie pan. Top with cheese. Cover with top crust. Slit holes. Bake @ 400 for 15 min then 350 for 45 min. Or till crust is done. My hubby likes to put sour cream on it.

With the remaining dough I like to make a little.......low fat cookie. haha Just roll it out, generously cover with sugar, sprinkle with cinnamon. (or mix cinnamon and sugar together then cover crust) Bake about 15 min.

Marie's pretzels

2009-10-11T22:04:00.000-07:00

These are similar to the taste of the mall pretzels...but a whole lot cheaper! Thanks to my sister-in-law for finding and tweaking the recipe.

* 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
* 1 teaspoon white sugar
* 1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

* 1/2 cup baking soda
* 4 cups hot water
* 1/4 cup kosher salt, for topping

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water.
4. When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is all shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt. (Some could be a cinnamon/sugar mixture)
5. Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, until browned.

Jeannie's vegetarian chili

2009-10-11T21:49:00.000-07:00

* 1 (19 ounce) can black beans
* 2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 (16 ounce) can vegetarian baked beans
* 2 (14.5 ounce) can chopped tomatoes in puree
* 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 green bell pepper, chopped
* 2 stalks celery, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped (or just a little garlic powder)
* 1 package of chili seasoning
* a little hot sauce if you want

Put in slow cooker on high for two hours and then reduce to low for two or more. If it's not thick enough take a cup out and put it in the blender until smooth, then add back in slow cooker. Serve with Fritos.

Slow cooker country style ribs

2009-10-11T21:42:00.001-07:00

4-5 pounds country style pork ribs (bone in or out)
1 large bottle of BBQ sauce
one lemon
one onion

Place half of sauce in slow cooker, add ribs. Add rest of bbq sauce and then layer onion and lemon on top. Cook on low 6-8 hours.

When serving, eat with lemon and onion. (The bitterness gets cooked away)

(Look for country style ribs on sale...have seen them as low as $1.29 a pound, great low cost dinner!)

Chunky Apple Cake

2009-10-11T20:44:00.000-07:00

Found this recipe in one of those grocery store recipe books...you know, the ones you pick up, glance at, then usually put back... Sadly, this one had about 6 recipes that caught my eye, and the tantalizing title "Fall Baking." Who doesn't love Fall recipes? The smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, apples bubbling in butter and brown sugar....yum! Anyway, made it for Misty and Sean tonight, and we all loved it, so here it is:

Cake:

3/4 c. butter or margarine, softened

1 1/2 c. sugar

3 eggs

1/4 c. applesauce

1/2 t. vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour

2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

2 t. ground cinnamon

3 c. coarsely chopped peeled baking apples

1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350. Spray and flour tube/bundt cake pan. In large bowl beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in applesauce and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and mix completely. Stir in apples and walnuts. Spoon into pan. Bake 50-65 minutes or until top springs back. Cool completely before frosting (remove from pan before frosting).

Frosting:

1/2 c. butter

3 1/4 c. powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla

1 to 3 T. milk

Heat butter over medium heat, stirring constantly until golden brown. Remove from heat and gradually beat in powdered sugar. Add vanilla and milk until desired spreading consistency is reached. Generously spread over top and down sides of cake.

Blue Cheese Chicken Salad Wraps

2009-10-07T19:54:00.000-07:00

Cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
Blue cheese dressing
diced celery
diced apples
quartered red grapes
salt & pepper
romaine lettuce leaves

Combine dressing and chicken, then add other ingredients. Wrap up in romaine lettuce leaf and enjoy!

Tomato Basil w/Orzo Soup

2009-09-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

I know what you are thinking... doesn't a certain popular, Utah based restaurant have a soup like this? And the answer is yes, but not quite. This one might actually be better... AND you can get a whole tureen for the price of a small bowl at said restaurant. Can't beat that!

You will need:

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 cup apple juice (or cranberry, just something sweet)

1/2 medium onion finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 can petite diced tomatoes (1 lb can, no chilis or flavors like garlic)

1 cup vegetable or chicken broth (can use bullion)

1/4 cup fresh basil or 2 Tbl dried basil

1 pint heavy cream

1/4 cup butter

Tobasco sauce to taste

Orzo pasta

Heat oil and apple juice in soup pot over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic and pepper 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently until onion is soft, but not brown. Remove from heat. Add tomatoes and broth, stir. Puree in blender and then return to pot. Add pasta, cook 10 minutes (I like to cook the pasta separately and add it in as I serve it, if so, then just cook 10 minutes without the pasta) Add butter and cream. Stir. (if using dried basil, add now) Simmer 15 minutes. DO NOT BOIL. Add basil (if using fresh).

Serve. This is good topped with sour cream, orzo, feta cheese or anything else you want to experiment with:) Also, I haven't tried it with the tobasco yet, but I am pretty sure it is just the kick it is lacking. Have fun and enjoy!

Black and Whites

2009-09-15T20:45:00.000-07:00

Well, that just sounds weird (kinda like a well-known Michael Jackson song...maybe this is what he was talking about). Anyway, when I came back from Boston I was OBSESSED with black and white cookies, and even found a recipe to try and began to post it back in July, but never having tried it, I wanted to test it first before the final post. So, I finally tweaked it, but it still seems to have saved to July for some reason, so if anyone is interested, look them up on the sidebar under Cookies and Snacks. They are delicious!

Seven Layer Magic Bars

2009-09-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

1/2 c. margarine

1-1/2c graham cracker crumbs

1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1c. butterscotch chips

1c. choc chips (I like milk but semi sweet are good too)

1-1/2c. flake coconut

1c. sliced shaved almonds

In 9x13 pan melt butter @350 sprinkle crumbs over butter, pour milk evenly over crumbs, top with remaining ing. in order listed. Press down firmly. Bake 25 min or untill lightly browned. Cool, cut into bars. Store at room temp.

Shredded Beef Sandwiches and Parmesan Herb Buttered Corn

2009-08-30T20:27:00.000-07:00

Yeah, that still sounds good! And I eat one more bit of anything, I think I'll die! But this was an experiment meal that turned out really fantastic!

Easy Italian Beef Sandwiches

1 14 oz. can beef broth

1 pkg Italian salad dressing mix

2 3-3.5 lb boneless beef roasts (called for chuck roast...but I just got what was on sale and it worked out great)

1 16 oz. jar pepperoncini peppers, undrained

20 rolls, French-style or hamburger buns

tomato, cucumber, red onion, and lettuces slices

In crock pot. combine beef broth and dressing mix. Add roasts and top with pepperoncinis. Cover and cook on low 12 hours or high 6 hours or until meat tender enough to shred. Remove pepperoncinis and shred beef. Skim fat from the liquid. Return shredded meat to liquid. Spoon beef onto rolls and top with sliced vegetables. (May need mayo or mustard or whatever kind of dressing you like...but it's pretty good plain too :) I served this with corn on the cob slathered with:

Parmesan Herb Butter

Combine in food processor: 1/2 c. softened butter, 2 T. parmesan cheese, 2 T. fresh chopped parsley, 1/8 t. garlic powder, 1/8 t. onion powder, a dash of salt and pepper. Whip until fully combined. Add more salt as needed. Slather onto your vegetable of choice, or just slather yourself in it and roll around gleefully. I know I'd like to, it's that good.

Streusel Topped Banana Bread

2009-08-30T20:05:00.000-07:00

I made this for the same reason we all make banana bread: my bananas were getting seriously scary! But I took it to Young Women's to try to win them over with my culinary craftiness, and it totally worked! (I also made lemon bread, but the recipe needs to be tweaked, so I'll pop that one up when I'm happier with it.) *Keep in mind that on all fruit/vegetable breads you can substitute more of the fruit/vegetable to replace some of the oil or butter, and occasionally some of the sugar. But this is the original recipe, without modification:

Streusel Topped Banana Bread

2 c. flour

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 t. cinnamon (I like more!)

1/8 t. nutmeg (ditto!)

2 beaten eggs

1 1/2 c. mashed bananas

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. oil or melted butter/margarine

1/4 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Oven @ 350. Grease 9x5x3" bread pan or two 7.5x3.5x2" pans. Mix together first 5 ingredients in large bowl and create a well in the center. In smaller bowl, mix together the next 4 ingredients until smooth. Pour into the well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add nuts if desired. Stir together until just combined (will be lumpy), and pour into pan(s). Top with:

Streusel-Nut Topping

In small bowl combine 1/4 c. brown sugar and 3 T. flour. With pastry blender, mix together until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/3 c. chopped walnuts, if desired.

Sprinkle over batter evenly and bake for 55-60 minutes for larger pan or 40-45 minutes for smaller pans, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes, remove from pan and cool completely before slicing (like anyone ever does THAT! Seriously, just yank out the butter and just go to town!)

Grilled Chicken & Vegetable Salad

2009-08-26T17:40:00.001-07:00

This is as close as I could come to Wana Iguana's salad!

chopped romaine lettuce
chicken breasts
green peppers
onions
zucchini
corn
shredded monterey jack cheese
1 lime

*Julienne peppers, onions, and zucchini & toss in olive oil and salt/pepper. Brush chicken breasts w/olive oil and salt/pepper & grill. Grill peppers, onions, & zuchinni until slightly tender. Serve over lettuce & corn while warm & sprinkle w/cheese. Sprinkle w/fresh lime juice and toss in favorite dressing.

CPD (Chicken, Peas & Dressing)

2009-08-24T21:21:00.000-07:00

CPD (Chicken, Peas & Dressing)

1 batch of stove top
1 half bag (or full, if you like) frozen peas
2 cooked chicken breasts, cubed or shredded
2 cans of soup (either cream of chicken or cream of mushroom)

Mix the soup, peas and chicken together. Lay half of the dressing down on the bottom of a 9x13 pyrex dish. Then lay the soup mixture on top of it, then put the other half of the dressing on top of the whole thing.

Bake at 350* for 45min -1 hour (until the top bubbles).
Cover with tin foil. Remove for the last 10 - 15 minutes.

Garbanzo Bean Salad

2009-08-24T21:13:00.000-07:00

Garbanzo Bean Salad

Romaine lettuce
Tomatoes
Garbanzo Beans
Green Onions or Red Onion chopped
Sliced Salami
Olives
Girard's Original Dressing (or any other Italian dressing)

You can also add:

Cucumbers
Crumbled Feta Cheese

Pasta Frola

2009-08-23T11:43:00.000-07:00

At the request of a friend, I am submitting this recipe for an Argentine dessert called Pasta Frola. Don't ask me why it's called that...it just is. And the traditional filling is "dulce de membrillo" made from the quince fruit. I have, of course, altered this to whatever jam is on hand, in this case, raspberry.

Pasta Frola

2 c. flour

4 t. baking powder

1/2 c. + 2 T. butter or margarine

1/2 c. sugar

2 T. milk

1 t. vanilla

1 c. jam or marmalade (my recipe says "1 lb", how awesome is that?)

1 egg

1-2 T. water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix flour and baking powder in large bowl. Add margarine/butter, sugar, milk, and vanilla and beat with mixer just until a dough is formed. Pat 1/2 into bottom of 9x9 or 9x11 greased pan, leaving a slightly raised edge all around. Spread jam over the bottom crust, leaving the raised edges clean. Roll remaining dough into strips to criss-cross over the jam. Whip egg and water to create an egg wash and brush over the strips and exposed crust. Bake 20-30 minutes or until evenly browned. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares. Makes 12-15 bars.

Chicken Salad Sandwich

2009-08-11T18:37:00.000-07:00

I saw this on "The Barefoot Contessa" and modified it to make it even lighter. It is a tangier and quicker version of the regular chicken salad. Oh, and Misty keeps bugging me to put it on here...just for you Mist!Chicken Salad
2-3 c. chopped chicken (I use a rotisserie chicken, chilled and chopped)
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1 c. mayo and plain yogurt (I mix them to make it lighter, using more yogurt)
1/4 c. dijon mustard
1/8 c. whole grain mustard
1/2 t. salt (or to taste)
1/4 t. pepper (or to taste)
1 T. chopped fresh tarragon

Add chicken, celery, tomatoes, and tarragon to a large bowl. Mix together remaining ingredients in a small bowl and whip until smooth. Add as needed to chicken and toss. Chill for 2 hours to overnight. Serve on sandwich rolls or croissants.

Moist Zucchini Bread

2009-08-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

3 eggs
1 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 tsps vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
2 cups shredded zucchini

Peel zucchini and remove seeds. Grate. Mix eggs, oil, vanilla and sugars. Add dry ingredients and zucchini alternating. Blend well. Grease 2 9x5 loaf tins and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Or muffin tins for approximately 30 minutes.

Slice and serve warm with butter.

Given by Wendy Cannon, my mother-in-law.

Zucchini Brownies

2009-08-08T12:05:00.001-07:00

INGREDIENTS

* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups shredded zucchini
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

* 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/4 cup margarine
* 2 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan. (The batter will not pour like regular batter, you'll have to spread it)
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched. To make the frosting, melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners' sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares. ( I used store bought frosting)

Butternut Squash Soup

2009-08-07T12:18:00.000-07:00

3 butternut squash, peeled
Nutmeg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
6 cups chicken stock
1 can evaporated milk

*Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. In large pot melt butter. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add squash and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender. Remove squash chunks with slotted spoon and place in a blender and puree. Return blended squash to pot. Add milk & seasonings, and heat until hot. Sprinkle w/pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds and drizzle with plain yogurt or sour cream for garnish.

Sweet Squash Skillet

2009-08-07T09:23:00.001-07:00

chopped yellow squash
olive oil
salt/pepper
season salt
parmesean cheese

*Sautee squash in a small amount of olive oil & add seasonings. Cook until tender and sprinkle with cheese. Delicious!

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

2009-08-07T09:11:00.000-07:00

3/4 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cinnamon
dash ground cloves
dash nutmeg
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 3/4 c. flour
2 c. rolled oats
1 c. chocolate chips

*Beat butter & sugars until combined. Add baking powder, soda, and spices. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Add flour, oats, & chocolate chips. Bake at 375 for 7 minutes.

Creamy Chicken Vegetable Soup

2009-08-03T15:07:00.000-07:00

2 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
OR
leftover rotisserie chicken, broken up
chopped zucchini
chopped squash
chopped onion
chopped carrots
chopped celery
1 cube butter
1 can corn, drained
2 cans cream chicken soup
1 can chicken broth or 2 c. water to 2 cubes chicken bullion

*Cook chicken ahead. Place 1 cube butter in crock pot on low & melt. Then add chopped veggies except corn. Once veggies are tender-crisp, add corn & chicken. Whisk broth & condensed soup & add to crock pot. Cook on low until hot.

*VARIATIONS: Can add cooked rice or noodles to finished soup. Also, for VEGETARIAN (Jeannie!) can use cream of celery soup and dry vegetable soup mix & water instead of broth.

Herbed Chicken

2009-07-23T13:42:00.000-07:00

Okay, I absolutely love this combination of seasonings with chicken. Basically you cut the chicken up into bite-sized pieces and cook it in a skillet with olive oil and the following:

garlic powder
onion powder
celery salt
poultry seasoning
dried parsley
thyme
salt & pepper

Just use as much as you want of each.

This chicken is delicious on a salad:

Or over pasta with cooked zuchinni, squash, and parmesean cheese:

Black and Whites

2009-07-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

Black and White Cookies
"Traditional black and white cookies are BIG and LOUD, not unlike the New Yorkers that made them famous." I became a huge fan of these in Boston at Mike's Pastry in the Italian District. (Like sugar cookies, these DO take a lot of work...but they are soooo delicious!)
Yield: About 8 very large cookies

1 1/4 c. flour
1/3 c. butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray, or line with parchment paper.
2. In large mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter. Mix until fluffy. Add eggs and mix.
3. Add the salt, baking soda, and 1/3 of the flour and mix. Add the vanilla and 1/2 of the buttermilk and mix. Add 1/3 of the flour and mix. Add last amount of buttermilk and mix, followed by last portion of flour.
4. Spoon 1/4 c. portions onto trays, leaving space for cookies to spread while baking. Bake 12-15 minutes or until middle of cookies spring back to the touch. Cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache
I used this instead of the glaze that went with this recipe, and they turned out great!

1 c. chocolate chips (I mixed semi-sweet with milkd chocolate for a sassier flavor)
1 c. white chocolate chips
1/2 c. warm whipping cream

In 2 separate bowls, combine the whipping cream with the chips (1/4 c. in with each flavor) and whip by hand until smooth. If mixture is too runny, add more chips as needed until spreading consistency is reached. Spread chocolate on half of the bottom side of each cookie, then frost the other side with white (I did all the chocolate at once, then went back to do the white sides). Let the frosting set until firm to the touch. Store in an airtight container. These cookies keep for a few days, but are best on the first or second. Enjoy!

Shepherd's Pie

2009-07-19T17:18:00.000-07:00

1 lb ground beef
1 med. onion, chopped
1 can corn, drained
1 can stewed tomatoes, drained
1 can green beans, drained
3 c. mashed potatoes
shredded cheese
parmesean cheese
garlic/onion salt
season salt

*brown beef & onion; drain & rinse. Combine corn & green beans in bottom of baking dish. Add ground beef & onion on top. Sprinkle with garlic/onion salt. Top w/stewed tomatoes & mashed potatoes. Sprinkle potatoes with season salt. Top w/shredded cheese and sprinkle parmesean on top. Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes.

Molten Chocolate Pudding Cake

2009-07-15T22:10:00.000-07:00

A few years ago my mom made this for my birthday, and I loved it...and this year for my birthday in Boston I made it for myself. I know that sounds pathetic but my friend Cristy was worried she would screw it up. So I did it myself, just to show how easy and delicious it was. And of course, it was super easy and fantastically fudgy, with all the rustic charm of hot homemade chocolate pudding over ice cream.

Molten Chocolate Pudding Cake

1 c. flour

3/4 c. sugar

3 T. cocoa

2 t baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1/2 c. milk

2 T. oil

1 t. vanilla

Mix all ingredients together and pour into greased 9x9 pan. Then combine:

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. cocoa

Mix and sprinkle over cake batter. Then slowly pour over the mixture:

1 3/4 c. boiling water

Bake 40 minutes @ 350. (Completed cake will look like 1st picture.) Allow to stand 5 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping.

Spaghetti Sauce

2009-07-14T18:34:00.000-07:00

My brother-in-law asked for this recipe, so I guess I'll put it on here. It is kind of a morph of my own creation, and some of Sarah's special features.

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
minced garlic
squash & zuchinni, chopped (optional)
1 can black olives, sliced
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans tomato sauce
1 sm. can tomato paste
garlic salt
onion salt
iltalian seasoning
dried oregano
fresh or dried basil
parsley flakes
1/4 c. sugar

*Brown ground beef w/onions. Drain & rinse. Whisk tomatoes, sauce, & paste until smooth. Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6.

Raspberry Brownies

2009-07-12T18:34:00.000-07:00

Brownies:

2 c. flour
2 1/2 c. sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 c. plus 2 T. cocoa
1 1/2 cubes butter
1/2 c. shortening
6 eggs
1 T. raspberry extract
1 c. fresh or frozen raspberries (thawed), optional
1 can raspberry pie filling or 1 1/2 c. raspberry preserves

Whipped Ganache Frosting:

1 c. heavy whipping cream
7 squares chocolate almond bark, coarsley chopped

*Cream sugar, shortening, & butter. Add eggs. Combine dry ingredients and add to wet mixture. Stir in extract and raspberries. Bake in 9 x 13 dish @ 350 for 45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out of center clean. While still hot, poke holes all over with the handle of a wooden spoon. Spread raspberry preserves or pie filling all over top. For frosting, heat whipping cream just until it starts boiling. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until melted. Refrigerate for a couple hours, then beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Spread over brownies and raspberry topping. Store brownies in the refrigerator.

Smooth & Creamy Jello Salad

2009-07-08T13:23:00.001-07:00

This is my grandma Snedeger's recipe, and it's soooo good!

1 sm pkg instant tapioca
1 sm pkg cook & serve vanilla pudding
1 sm pkg orange jello
8 oz cool whip
1 can mandarin oranges, drained

*Boil 3 c. water and add 1st three ingredients. Cook for a couple minutes just until it starts to thicken. Remove from heat and stir well. Let sit out on counter over night. Add cool whip & oranges & stir well. Refrigerate and serve! You could also try different jello/fruit combinations - I am going to try raspberry next!

Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler

2009-07-08T13:21:00.001-07:00

1 lg can sliced peaches
1 yellow cake mix
1 cube butter
cinnamon/nutmeg

*Heat dutch oven over coals until hot. Pour peaches w/juice into dutch oven. Sprinkle dry cake mix over top & cut butter into pats. Top cake mix w/butter and dust w/cinnamon & nutmeg. Cook on coals for 40 minutes.

Dutch Oven Dinner

2009-07-08T13:15:00.000-07:00

We made this last weekend when we were camping.

1 lb bacon (about 5 pieces uncooked for lining dutch oven, cook the rest ahead)
1 pkg kielbasa sausage, sliced
1 head cabbage, chopped
1 bag matchstick carrots
3 lb potatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
parsley flakes
salt/pepper

*Chop potatoes and soak in water for about 2 hours. Place uncooked bacon on bottom of dutch oven. Add all other ingredients and stir to combine. Season with salt, pepper, & parsley. Cook coals for about 1 hour.

Super Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

2009-07-08T11:58:00.000-07:00

These aren't gourmet by any means, but they are really easy and no flour means no mess.

2 cups peanut butter
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, stir peanut butter and sugar together until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and into sugar and place them 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Press a criss-cross into the top using the back of a fork.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Rainbow cupcakes

2009-07-07T14:04:00.001-07:00

2 white cake mixes
2-12 ounce cans of lemon-lime soda
gel colors

Mix cake mixes with lemon-lime soda. (Don't add egg and oil or anything the cake mix calls for.) Divide batter into the number of colors you want. (Just think you could do team colors!) Add gel colors to batter and mix. Drop each color into 24 cupcake liners. Don't stir, just drop! Bake according to box directions. Let cool and frost.

Coconut Macaroons

2009-07-07T13:45:00.000-07:00

2 Egg Whites
dash of salt
1/4 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Beat egg whites, salt and vanilla until soft peaks form.
3. Gradually add sugar, beating until very stiff and glossy.
4. Fold in coconut.
5. Drop by rounded teaspoon about 2 inches apart onto greased cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until set and lightly browned.

Polenta

2009-06-28T16:59:00.000-07:00

I learned a few things when I lived in Mexico and Argentina...and to be honest, I don't remember where this recipe hales from. But it is delicious, and depending on what you top it with, it can be completely vegetarian as well. However, no matter what you do with polenta, is is certainly filling and fantastic.

Polenta

1/4 -1/2 c. ground cornmeal (look for polenta mix...the texture is better)

2-2 1/2 c. water

1 T. margarine/butter

dash of salt

Bring water to a boil, add salt, and begin to sprinkle in cornmeal, whisking while sprinkling. Add enough cornmeal that the mixture reaches the thickness of hot cereal, but does not become any thicker. Add additional water as needed, stirring all the time to ensure smoothness of the polenta. Cook 5-10 more minutes, stirring as needed. Add margarine and whisk together. Place about 1 cup of the polenta on a plate and smooth out. Top with your favorite marinara or meat/tomato sauce and sprinkle shredded cheese on top.

Basil Lemonade

2009-06-26T12:24:00.000-07:00

I know, what is my deal with basil, right? Well, I love it. And this lemonade may sound odd, but my sister-in-law Amy had it at her wedding reception, and it was to die for!

12 c. cold water
2 12-oz cans frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
1/2 c. firmly packed fresh basil leaves, torn
lemon slices and fresh basil

*Combine water, lemonade, sugar, & lime juice in extra large pitcher. Stir well to combine. Stir in torn basil leaves. Cover & refrigerate for 8 hours. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into serving container & discard basil leaves. Chill & serve over ice w/lemon slices and basil leaves for garnish.

Basil Parmesan Vinaigrette

2009-06-26T12:17:00.000-07:00

1/2 c. fresh basil leaves
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 - 1/2 c. olive oil
2 T. red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves
2 T. Dijon mustard
1/8 t. salt and pepper

In a blender, add basil, Parmesan cheese, vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper. Process at low speed for 30 seconds to one minute. While the blender is running, begin to stream in olive oil. Switch the speed to high and blend until smooth.

*This is the closest thing to Rooster's House Basil dressing I can find - and it's fabulous!

Coconut Chex Mix

2009-06-22T17:15:00.001-07:00

This recipe makes two large Ziploc bags full. To make less just use 3 cups combined Chex & 3 cups golden grahams, and half everything else.

3 c. rice chex
3 c. corn chex
6 c. golden grahams
1 c. chopped pecans
1 c. coconut
1 1/2 c. butter (3 cubes)
1 c. sugar
1 c. Caro syrup
1 t. vanilla

*Combine cereals, nuts, & coconut in a large bowl and toss. Boil butter, sugar, Caro syrup, & vanilla for two minutes in a jumbo pot. Pour cereal mixture into pan after boiled & toss to coat. Pour onto wax paper to cool & break apart once set. Tastes best refrigerated!

Chicken Flourentine Soup

2009-06-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

DISCLAIMER: This recipe has actually NOT been tried out yet. Make at your own risk.

My friend Dionne and I positively LOVE this soup from Biaggi's at the Gateway. Last time we were there we sort-of swindled the recipe out of the waitress.

Chicken, cooked & cubed
Diced onions
Diced celery
Frozen or fresh spinach
Minced garlic
1 cube butter
1 can chicken broth
1 sm. container heavy whipping cream OR 1 can evaporated milk
Flour
Salt & pepper to taste
Garlic/onion powder
Croutons for garnish

*Simmer cooked chicken in broth while celery, onion, spinach, & garlic sautee in butter. Whisk flour and cream or milk until smooth & combine all ingredients in sauce pan. Heat until thickened - add more flour, broth, and cream or milk if necessary. (Since I haven't made it yet, I don't know how the proportions will turn out). Garnish with croutons & shredded cheese.

Peanut Butter Stew - don't knock it!

2009-06-22T16:53:00.000-07:00

This may sound a little weird, or possibly even repulsive to some of you, but it is seriously awesome. I ate it all the time on my mission - the Africans made it a lot.

Cooked roast or stew meat, cut into chunks
1 sm. can tomato paste
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
2 c. hot water
1 sm. onion, diced
1 c. halved peanuts
bay leaves
salt/pepper

*Whisk tomato paste, peanut butter, & water. Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low 3-4 hours, stirring often. Serve with steamed white rice or cous-cous.

Creamy Salsa Platter

2009-06-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

I don't know what my deal is, but I'm totally on a chips and dips kick for lunch lately. Anyway, this one is fairly simple.

1/2 bar cream cheese
salsa
shredded cheddar cheese
sliced olives

*Spread cream cheese on a plate, top with salsa, shredded cheese, & olives. It would be great with some diced tomatoes & maybe even some shredded lettuce, too. Eat with tortilla chips!

Stuffed Peppers/Onions

2009-06-12T10:58:00.000-07:00

2 peppers
1 lg. onion
1 lb ground beef or sausage, browned & drained
1 pkg lipton mushroom rice mix
1/2 bar cream cheese
(you can also use plain white rice and condensed cream of mushroom soup)
diced celery
diced tomatoes
sliced olives
season salt
dried parsley
salt/pepper
sliced cheese

*Core & seed peppers. Cut onion in half lengthwise. Peel the layers apart (each one should look like a little boat). Blanch peppers & onions in boiling water for five minutes. Prepare rice according to package directions, stirring in cream cheese until melted at the end. Combine meat, rice, & veggies for filling and stir in spices. Fill peppers/onions with an ice cream scoop. Top w/sliced cheese. Bake in the oven at 400 on a cookie sheet covered with foil - for 20-30 minutes. Yummy! You could do all onions or all peppers - but I do both because I like the peppers, and Sean doesn't!

Italian Pasta Salad

2009-06-10T21:34:00.000-07:00

We were hosting FHE on Monday and trying to decide what to make...my mom kept bringing up potato items when we already had chips on hand. So, I mentioned this pasta salad, and after much coaxing, she let me try it. I looked at recipes online, then created my own version. It turned out delicious and light and was even better the next day. Here's the simplified, fairly non trial-and-error version for you.

Italian Pasta Salad

2-3 cups cooked pasta, cooled slightly (I was in the mood for bowties, so I did bowties)

1 c. of any of the following vegetables sliced:

mushooms

zucchini*

snap peas

shredded carrots*

grape/cherry tomatoes*

celery

cucumber

olives*

baby spinach leaves

green onions or red onion (1/3-1/2 c. only)*

broccoli florettes*

bell pepper*

1 pkt. italian dressing mix

1/2 c. water

2-3 T. oil

optional: diced fresh herbs; such as basil*, oregano, parsley*, and chives*

2 T.-1/4 c. parmesan cheese

Salt, pepper, and sugar to taste

Place all vegetables in bowl and pour warm pasta on top. Add any fresh herbs you may be using, and allow to stand so the heat of the pasta can warm the rest. Sprinkle on parmesan cheese. In small bowl or measuring cup, whip dressing mix, water, and oil quickly and pour over pasta, veggies, and herbs, tossing to coat. Taste and add salt, pepper, and sugar (if it tastes too acidic) as needed. If you get rather crazy with the veggies as I did, you can either add another pkt. of dressing mix, or whatever is on hand (I threw in fresh lemon, garlic powder, celery salt, and a little sugar until it was sassy enough). Refrigerate until needed (the trick is to give it plenty of time for the flavors to meld together, as I said, mine was much better the next day). Toss before serving.

*used in my salad

Chili Cheese Dip

2009-06-10T15:54:00.000-07:00

Look closely at the picture. Those are, in fact, tiny children hands scooping the dip up with tortilla chips. I have pretty picky eaters, and my 7-year-old who has never liked meat is just now trying hamburgers, hot dogs, steak, etc. All 3 of my kids loved this dip - even the 2-year-old. It is super easy:

1 can chili
4 oz. velveeta cheese, cubed

Heat ingredients together until cheese is totally melted. You could also add sliced black olives and sour cream as a garnish.

Pig Pickin' Cake

2009-06-07T10:23:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from my Aunt Joanie, who got it from a daughter-in-law, who got it from...heck, I don't know! Anyway, I made it for my mom's 67th (!!!) birthday today, and all but this much is left. VERY light and tasty!

Cake:

18 oz. yellow cake mix

11 oz. can mandarin oranges with juice

4 eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9" round cake pans. In mixing bowl, combine cake mix, mandarin oranges with juice, eggs and oil. Beat for 2 minutes with electric mixer. Pour into pans and bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Turn out of pans and finish cooling on racks.

Topping:

9 oz carton Cool Whip, thawed

8 oz can crushed pineapple with juice

3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding11 oz can mandarin oranges, drained for garnish

In a mixing bowl fold together Cool Whip, pineapple with juice and vanilla pudding. Fill and frost cake. Then watch it disappear! Refrigerate any leftovers...if there are any.

Sarah's Note: I added more cream and pineapple to the topping to ensure there was enough to generously cover a layer cake...and it's good enough any extra pineapple fluff can be used as fruit dip. Yummy!

No-bake Cheesecake

2009-06-06T09:57:00.000-07:00

I remember making this in college but lost the recipe. It is seriously the best cheesecake ever! Not as heavy as the baked kind.

1 8-oz pkg cream cheese
1 sm. container cool whip
1 c. powdered sugar
2 T. vanilla
2 T. lemon juice
1 graham cracker crust
canned pie filling or fresh fruit for topping

*Mix first 5 ingredients together & pour into crust. Refrigerate and serve with topping!

Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies

2009-06-06T09:51:00.000-07:00

My mother-in-law made these and we ate them on vacation. They were seriously to die for! Here is the link:
http://www.pillsbury.com/Recipes/ShowRecipe.aspx?rid=44842

Chocolate Fruit Dip

2009-06-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

1 8-oz pkg cream cheese
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. cocoa
1 t. vanilla
2 c. cool whip

*Cream cheese & sugar. Add cocoa & vanilla & beat until smooth. Beat in cool whip & refrigerate. Serve with strawberries, bananas, apples, or anything that goes with chocolate! It's not a fondue, like in the picture - but it sure tastes amazing!

Creamy Chicken Enchilada's

2009-06-03T19:58:00.000-07:00

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

2 cans of Cream of Chicken soup
3 TBSP Taco Seasoning
2 Chicken Breasts cooked & shredded
1 c. Sour Cream
1/4 c. Milk
1 1/2 c. Shredded Cheese
1/2 c. Chopped Green Onions
Olives
Tortillas

Cook chicken breasts & shred. Mix all ingredients except the chicken. Spread about 1/4 cup mixture down center of each tortilla. Add chicken in each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a 9x13 pan. Pour remaining mixture over enchiladas. Bake @ 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Roasted Lemon Chicken and Savory Potatoes

2009-05-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

This was my FAVORITE meal from my last area in Argentina. For those of you who don't know, NO, they do NOT eat Mexican food in Argentina. They don't know what enchiladas are, and they think burritos and tacos are little donkeys and high-heeled shoes. Seriously. They are particularly fond of beef, pasta, potatoes, and chicken. This particular dish was originally prepared outside in an oven made from a metal barrel, and it was delicious!!!

Savory Potatoes

4 potatoes, chopped into chunks

1 T. oil

1/4 t. parsley

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss potatoes, oil, parsley, and salt and pepper in a medium-sized bowl until coated. Dump into one end of 9x13 roasting pan. Set aside.

Lemon Chicken

4 boneless chicken breasts

1 T. oil

1/4 t. parsley

salt and pepper

1 large lemon

1 medium onion, sliced in rings

Place chicken breasts in other end of roasting dish. Drizzle with oil. Roll lemon on counter, squishing slightly as doing so, then cut in 1/2. Squeeze all juice over the chicken, and place lemons in the dish with the chicken. Sprinkle with parsley, salt and pepper. Place roasting pan in the oven. Bake for 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender, stirring potatoes and turning chicken as needed.

No-Bake Chocolate Cookies

2009-05-08T18:19:00.000-07:00

I remember having these as a kid, but I haven't made them in forever. I didn't take a picture because, as good as they TASTE, they LOOK like a steaming pile of cow droppings. Enjoy.

2 c. sugar
1 cube butter
1/2 c. evap milk
1 t. vanilla
2 1/2 T. cocoa
3 c. oats

*Combine all ingredients except oats in a medium saucepan. Cook over med. heat and boil for five minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat & stir in oats. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper and allow to set up.

Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry

2009-05-08T18:12:00.000-07:00

1 pkg frozen chopped broccoli
Steak, sliced thin
1 red bell pepper
Matchstick carrots
Minced garlic
Sesame oil
Powdered ginger
Cornstarch
Soy sauce
Brown sugar
Salt

*Slice raw meat & marinate in soy sauce for a couple hours. Combine broccoli, steak, carrots, & garlic in heavy skillet or wok w/oil (if you don't have sesame oil, use olive or canola oil). Once mixed, sprinkle with ginger, cornstarch, brown sugar, & salt. Stir & fry over med-high heat until meat is no longer pink and sauce is thickened. Add sliced red pepper for last five minutes. For more sauce add more soy sauce, cornstarch, and spices. Serve over white rice!

Guiltless Pumpkin Cookies

2009-04-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

These cookies are SO yummy. My friend/neighbor Danielle gave me the recipe. And for all you big losers, they are relatively fat-free! Jeannie brought over some banana chocolate chip cookies yesterday, and they made me crave these!

1 spice cake mix
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 c. chocolate chips

*Mix & drop by rounded scoops onto greased cookie sheet. Bake @ 350 for 11-13 minutes. Store in a ziploc bag or airtight container.

Fajitas

2009-04-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

These are the best!

1 lb. steak
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. water
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. onion powder
1/4 t. cumin
Montreal Steak Seasoning
salt & pepper
sliced onions
sliced green peppers
sliced red peppers
flour tortillas
grated cheese
sour cream

*Grill steak until medium-rare. Slice into thin strips & add to other ingredients in a heavy skillet. Sprinkle steak seasoning & salt & pepper on top & toss. Cook & stir until meat is no longer pink & veggies are tender. Wrap in a warm flour tortilla w/cheese & sour cream. You can also make them with chicken, but steak is better!

Scotcheroos

2009-04-26T20:23:00.000-07:00

I learned about these from my friend and neighbor Kindergarten teacher, Kathryn, and they are awesome! This is the best recipe I've found for them. (Oh, and if you have a friend who can't eat wheat, these will totally work!) (Yes, this is what they really look like Mist! Mine do look like that...when I am not braindead...)

Scotcheroos
1 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
6 c. toasted rice cereal
1 2/3 c. butterscotch chips
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Spray/grease 13 x 9 inch baking pan. In medium saucepan, mix peanut butter, sugar, and corn syrup. Cook over medium-high, stirring until melted. Remove from heat and add to cereal. Stir until coated and press into pan. Melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips together and spread over cereal. Refrigerate until chocolate is set. Cut into bars. Makes 30 bars.

White Chocolate Cake w/Strawberry Filling

2009-04-24T18:15:00.000-07:00

It's actually pretty easy! (By the way, that isn't my cake, just an image I got off the internet!)

Cake:

1 white cake mix
1 1/4 c. water
1/3 c. oil
3 egg white
1 t. almond extract
2 squares vanilla almond bark

*Beat all ingredients except almond bark. Melt almond bark in microwave & stir into batter. Bake according to package directions.

Filling:

2 1/2 c. strawberries, hulled & coarsely chopped
1/2 c. sugar
2 1/2 T. cornstarch

*Bring all ingredients to a boil, mashing strawberries. Boil for two minutes and then allow to cool completely.

Cake Mix Cookies

2009-04-23T21:13:00.001-07:00

Cake Mix Cookies

1 Cake Mix
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Oil

Mix together & roll into balls Roll balls into sprinkles if desired.
Bake @ 350* for 7-10 minutes.

My favorite combination is Chocolate Cake Mix with Wilton's Mint Crunch.

Also try Yellow Cake mix with sprinkles or chocolate frosting. Make homemade Oreo cookies by using a Chocolate cake mix and Vanilla frosting.

Extremely easy recipe!

Chopped BBQ Chicken Salad

2009-04-23T20:34:00.000-07:00

Romaine lettuce
Diced tomatoes
Corn, drained
Black beans, drained
Green onions, diced
Chopped cilantro
Pepper jack cheese, shredded
Diced chicken
Tortilla strips
Ranch dressing
BBQ sauce

Yummy!

Blueberry Crumb Bread

2009-04-23T20:22:00.000-07:00

2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 c. milk
3 T. oil
3 c. flour
1 t. salt
4 t. baking powder
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

Topping:

1/4 c. brown sugar
3 T. flour
2 T. cold butter
1/3 c. chopped nuts

*Beat eggs & mix w/sugar. Add milk & oil. Stir dry ingredients together and add to egg mixture. Stir in blueberries. Pour into greased loaf pan (makes 1 large or 2 small). Combine brown sugar & flour in a small bowl, & cut in butter with a pastry blender. When mixture resembles coarse crumbs, stir in nuts. Top batter with crumb topping and bake @ 350 for 50-60 minutes.

Penne with Ham & Roasted Veggies

2009-04-15T06:54:00.000-07:00

1 lb. fresh asparagus, snapped into pieces
1 yellow squash, cut into chunks
1/2 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 T. olive oil
salt & pepper
1 pkg. penne pasta
1 c. frozen peas
1/4 lb. sliced ham, cut into strips
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
1 c. parmesean cheese

*Preheat oven to 450. Combine first four ingredients & toss with olive oil & s/p in a casserole dish. Roast veggies in the oven, stirring once or twice, for about 25 minutes. Cook pasta & add peas for the last five minutes. Drain pasta & peas. Return to pot & stir in ham & cream. Cover & set aside for about two minutes. Stir in roasted veggies & parmesean cheese.

Ranger Cookies

2009-04-08T21:10:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I always think my daddy will love me more if I make him cookies...and I may just be right! Anyway, these are my favorite grown-up cookie, and I have tweaked the recipe recently to make it super-delicious.

Ranger Cookies

1 c. margarine or butter

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. cinnamon (optional)

1/4 t. nutmeg (opt.)

2 c. flour

1 c. coconut

2 c. corn flakes

2 c. bran flakes

2 c. oatmeal

2 c. chocolate chips (opt.)

1 c. raisins or craisins (opt.)

Preheat oven to 350. Cream margarine and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well. Mix together baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour. Gradually add to creamed mixture until fully incorporated. With mixer on low-med slowly add oatmeal and bran and corn flakes. Mix fully. Stir in coconut, chocolate chips, and raisins/craisins. Scoop by heaping tablespoonful unto greased cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes (first batch takes about 1 minute longer). Cool on tray 1-2 minutes. Makes 3 dozen or A FREAKING TON of cookies!!!!

Cookie combos (add-ins):

White chocolate chip and craisin

Raisin Chocolate Chip

Mega Chip (any combo of chips...butterscotch, white/vanilla, semi-sweet, and milk chocolate....tasty!)

Southwest Pasta Salad

2009-04-07T15:28:00.000-07:00

1 pkg cooked shells
diced tomatoes
diced olives
diced green onions
diced green peppers
shredded cheese
black beans
taco spice
ranch dressing

*Cook pasta & drain. Toss all ingredients to taste. This salad works well with taco leftovers. If you have taco meat you can add it in there and reduce the amount of taco spice you add at the end.